8 Halloween Candy Alternatives for Allergy-Free Trick-or-Treating
Dressing up and going door-to-door with friends or family can be one of the most fun parts about Halloween. If you're not planning to go out knocking on doors this year, you may be stocking up on Halloween candy to hand out to costumed children—but sometimes, the candy and food treats that end up in a child's goodie bag can be dangerous, especially to children with food allergies. Non-food trick-or-treat goodies can be just as fun as candy, and they're safe for all little monsters!
Plus, handing out non-food trick-or-treat goodies doesn't have to be expensive. Look for bulk Halloween toys and trinkets at your local party store, and use our free Halloween printables to dress them up—you can actually make some of these goodies for less than you'd spend on a cart full of candy!
We've got 8 adorable ideas, and they're all super easy to make. Plus, these Halloween candy alternatives double as fun crafts for kids! Have them help you transform ordinary items like crayons or bubbles into magically cute goodies that all children can enjoy. Use our free printables to make these fun treats, and learn how to signal to other parents that your home is allergy-friendly.
Monster Modeling Clay
Hand out modeling clay disguised as not-so-scary monsters. To make these fun faces, wrap ribbon or raffia around the bottom of the container of clay and tie on top. Cut the tied piece of ribbon into smaller strips to make funky hair, then wrap paper around the container and add a fun face with googly eyes and markers.
Broom Pencils
Give trick-or-treaters something to use everyday with this fun broom pencil. Wrap a burlap ribbon around the eraser of the pencil and secure with twine, then cut the ribbon into strips to mimic twigs on the end of a broom. Add a piece of silver tape around the burlap. Bonus points if you use Halloween themed pencils as the broomstick! Pick up a bulk package of pencils to make this Halloween candy alternative an inexpensive project.
Mummy Crayon Boxes
How cute is this trick-or-treat idea? Hide a surprise inside these adorable mummy shapes. When kids get home, they'll discover a fun treat hidden in the wrappings! We used a box of crayons, but you can use anything you like.They don't all have to be the same! When you've gathered the goodies, cut long strips of white crepe paper and tape one end to the back of each item and wrap the crepe paper around until the item is completely hidden. To make the friendly faces, use glue to attach googly eyes and add other features with a marker. We left one eye peeking out of the wrapping to create a friendly mummy, ready to be unwrapped!
Cauldron Halloween Bubbles
Mini bubbles are one of the least expensive toys available at party supply stores, which means handing out these fun goodies could actually be cheaper than giving out candy bars! You can also save money by purchasing a generic product, rather than buying something that comes in specific Halloween colors—our free printables will add the holiday flair for you. Little witches and warlocks of all ages will love blowing bubbles in between trick-or-treat stops on Halloween night.
Ghost Lip Balm
Give trick-or-treaters something cute—and practical—with these simple ghost lip balms. We recommend looking for natural lip balms without allergy warnings or dyes. To put the ghosts together, cut 9x9 inch squares of tissue paper and stack a few on top of each other, slightly shifting each one so they don't perfectly align. Put a lip balm in the center of the stack and gather the tissue around it, using a ribbon to tie the tissue around the tube. Add a ghost face in mid-"Boo!" and this treat is ready to be handed out!
Halloween Activity Sheets
We're obsessed with how cute (and easy!) these mini Halloween coloring pages are! Use our free download to print and cut mini activity sheets, then attach a few crayons with a strip of washi tape. We recommend printing the pages on cardstock, to keep them from getting crumpled in the children's goodie bags.
Bat Bubbles
Use our free printable bat template for this fun Halloween craft. Wrap black paper around a bottle of Halloween bubbles (or any other treat around the same size) to give this bat a body, and use googly eyes and a marker to create a goofy face. Tape one end of wings to the back of the bottle, and let these bubble bats fly off with the trick-or-treaters.
Spirit Glow Stick
Our free spirit glow stick template makes this fun Halloween treat so easy to make! Print, trace, and cut out the friendly ghost shape, then cut along the dotted lines in the pattern to give the ghost a movable arm. Add a friendly face with a marker and slide the glow stick through the slits. If you don't want to give out glow sticks, the ghost can share pencils, crayons, or other small treats!
Put Out Your Teal Pumpkin
The Teal Pumpkin project is an organization committed to making trick-or-treating a fun activity for all children who want to partake in the tradition. Participating in the Teal Pumpkin project is easy! Let trick-or-treaters know your house is food-allergy free by setting a teal pumpkin on your porch. We even have fun and free printables to make sure children and parents know your house is handing out non-food treats.
